By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Columnist

There are exactly two teams in this NCAA West Regional that have the potential to keep the University of Hawai‘i Wahine from getting to the volleyball final four.

Just two schools among 15 potential opponents in these two weeks that can stand between UH and Richmond, Va., site of the Dec. 14-16 national championships.

There is Long Beach State (22-7) and then there is anybody else the Wahine (27-1) overlook while thinking about getting their hands on those 49ers.

After what happened last year, when the Wahine watched Long Beach State win a final four berth on the Stan Sheriff Center floor, and after what took place last week, when the 49ers ended UH’s unbeaten run at 27-0 in California, there can be no doubt which team in this regional field UH most wants to see on the other side of the net.

Nor is there any wondering about whose gullet the fans would most like to see the Wahine stuff an aloha ball down.

If the Wahine could get to the final four, doing it by stepping on — and over — the 49ers would make the journey all that much sweeter. UH would be on such a high it might not require a plane to get to Richmond.

But after what happened last year, the danger of looking too far ahead should be loudly apparent. After what took place this time last season, taking care of business needs to come first.

For after having long-time rival Long Beach State in its sights and the final four in its plans, the Wahine took a loud pratfall against underdog Texas A&M.

The Wahine got to see Long Beach State all right, but it was from the stands while the 49ers celebrated a trip to the final four on a ticket that had UH’s name on it.

No. 17 A&M played its match of the year, if not the century, in upending No. 3 UH. But as Wahine coach Dave Shoji recalled, “we didn’t match their intensity and aggressiveness either.” They are words to be taken to heart.
Against a 24-11 Davidson team that should be first-round fodder tonight at 7, it might not matter how the Wahine show up. But after that, as the competition gets better, it will.

Against Utah, Santa Clara, UC-Santa Barbara or Minnesota, the margin for error narrows considerably. The penalty for disinterest or lack of aggressiveness mounts.

For this is a year of relative parity and a fairly wide-open road to the final four. There is no single dominant team in the manner of the Long Beach State team of two years ago or the Stanford squads before that.

In a 64-team field, Shoji and assistant athletic director Marilyn Moniz-Kaho‘ohanohano say they believe 20 teams or more have final-four capability.

Which, for the Wahine, means that the potential for elimination lurks around every corner come this weekend. A reminder that should be taken to heart after what happened last year.

Just to underline the perils, Shoji says, “We’ve talked about it. We’ve talked about being more aggressive and forcing the action so we don’t let happen what happened last year. We need to take the initiative on the attack and be relentless on defense.”

In their quest to make the final four, one of the best things the Wahine should have going for them this year are memories of what happened last year.